New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1887-03-29
THE DRAMA-MUSIO.
SARAH BERNHARDT AS THEODORE.


| SARAH BERNHARDT AS THEODORE.
The engagement of Mme Bernhardt at tho Star Thea
tre which to close with tho present week, was signal
lied last night by presentation Of "Thoodora THIS
tragtcal Of the longest dulest end NEST
fresomo OF Sardous productions-waA made expressly
for tho Of this actress. and s central characser u
exactly fitted to her artistic temperament and her taleD
It was produced with ornate and rfch dresses
and the performance Of It, which began at 816 lasted
until midnight Mme Bernhardts portrayal OF Theodore
is at once the and the most obnoxious
of her many unpleasant representations IL - sienincans
that this actress has rarely succeeded at ALL and has
never greatly succeeded, in portrayng either great
woman or lovely woman. Her emrodmene
OF Phgdre always comparative faiiuSe' Hom
its lack Of majesty tenderness and spiritual rcmorse
and the chief charm Of her embodiment II Dona sol
the half sensuous, half poetic glamor WIN winch
she invested amorous ecstacy Tho dramatic fndivd
uatcs In which Is most potential and most brilliant
are those vciousy errato openly wicked individual
tiles in which, nevertheless there qualities OF sensi
tive humanity and streaks OF poetic light Her nearest
approach to q consistently woman like and altogether
lovely mpersonation Is her image Of Adrtenne Leco-
rrc,r but and therefore her best
works-unique massive splendid and strong In their in
tegry and aiuenco Of evil-are Fedora and Theodora
Seeing Nine Bernhard in these two characters you see
absolutely Gil that this nature has the mission
or the power to disclose. She could act
shakespeares Cleopatra, but suck women as
shakespeares Constance and Hfone she could not en-
body and probably could not understand In whatever
character might undertake Of her dramatic
art would be complex and delicate In Its texture and OF
exquste and consunmate felicity In skill Of execution
The thing that done often repusve; the manner OF
doing IL is usually superb These we'll founded,
indicate the limitations OF Nine Bernhardt In the avoca-
ton OF actress dramatic artist Of the highest order Is
one who Is capable Of communicating TO other souls the
ennoblng benefits Of beauty dramatic artist Of inc
singularity combined with professional expertncss
The observer Of Mme Bernhardps Theodore will prob.
mate ny OF her abilities and her rank The drama Of heo
dora" has been made familiar to the American public In
olcott, crude amateurish performer who gives feeble
and udIcrous imitation Of Nine. Bernhardts perform.
image Of carnal intrigue conducted BY the wife Of the
s%ssSSsSi ';'f" :
be difficult imagine character which combines atrib
Of more hateful description than those which are
are vanity and seshness Around these are crysaiized
craft .nc sny nea
mated in supple and beautiful physique redeemed by
fierce r n SnSs
affairs The point upon which the dramasist however
@ IS hep tS for neey
sexual attachment Once. at least she loves In her
nary or in the least palliative moral dcformty
Is apparently expected to admire her on this
pressed the opinion that Theodore is grand" and
beaufu" tina! 1t affords great opportunities for tho
OF taste There really Is something higher and finer In
this lite than the sexual love OF wanton stagehcrolne
and crime II perfectly that after langud
and prox opening this play begins to present situations
which are both pictorial and strkiDgy dramatic Mono
but deyoee OF the abstract personality Of Nine Bern
haTat SUn ia 70 DC oroopdy saturated with sccm
placeucy could nger their trivial details Win any
Thing ike Nine Bcrnhardts tediousness The couch
hI.i he zee
menagerie the quest Of the lovepher the fooIng with
tho Wild beass-al this Is slow anu dull but at many
pon in the course Of later acts Nine Bernhardt lets
loose her nne intellectually and her merry imetuosity
making situations OF passion aud Of peril most
luminous aud eloquent. No one could better express
than sho does mood and the magic OF Delah In the
scono OF lovers subusaton The defiance of the Em
peror is one OF those electrical moments In her
acting that will never 5e torgot,en Tho o,n AWFUL
whom She slabs 10 the heart with a bodkn caught sud
denly OF her hair superb In lis entre dramatic Ut
Few stage visions have ever been seen OF sucb I'M
pernl magnilren she incarnatcs IN Ncofords pro
ccsson the throne and her assumption OF royal state
beside her illnstrous consort II cannot DO SAID 700
strongly that the essential Illusion Of the drama created
Identification with the character than by artistic ssii and
pert appliance OF Ingenious accessories she gets
inside and lives ~ IT, and she makes you
seen beautiful devil TO what extent this does you any
mine Tor Yourself Fashion. are mutabe IL Is not the
elirIu o the eccentrcty that refreshes or endurcs
IN ns SeasIy S1s IN tone and strongly
OF oriental nasihcence alike OF natural paeeantry and
grandeur oil the garden scene, visible iron the house OF
Afr,as made IL especially harmonious with tho omnons
spirit OF OF the conspiracy Excellent Judg
inent prevailed throughout the details o the stage
setting The audience large. and the public enthu
sasn particularly after the fourth curtaln-whlch Tell
upon the slaughter OF Marreus was vehement sponta'
neou. and wholly jusrincd Nine Bernhardt has never
before on this stage exhibited such tragic power Us she
displayed working up the emotion OFT kmpesS TO the
CLIMAX OF fatal catastrophe There were wo calls at
tho end OF tho first act, one at tho end OF
I'VE al the OF the fourth This may denote the tenn
per house The piece was presented IN seven acts
Ii may bo mentioned : an incident showing the good
taste oil tho that the menagere scene was not
InnIred by the introduction OF actual living beasts The
ranent worn by NINE. Bernhardt Teodord Is opulen
and gorgeous beyond anything OF the Kind that has
hitherto been but the expressive suitability OF the
dresses denoted for instance by the snake sleeves
worn la crousis more remarkable and more praise
worthy than their costly beauty. The full east with |
which Tloodora" presented ought TO make part
OF the record